Dear Reader,
charmed by the sunshine and the Columbia River we continued our trip toward the city of Seattle. Our hotel, where we stopped first before 6pm, was pretty comfortable and nice. After refreshing ourselves, we went to have a dinner together to Eileen’s and her husband’s house. We found warm welcome and met lawyers from Seattle who also are working in the field of environmental law; I learned many interesting cases not only from the U.S. but from Ghana and Liberia, too.
Eileen spent one year in Hungary and the taste of her strudel was very similar to ours… I missed the Hungarian tastes so much and this week I had the opportunity to eat a great, Hungarian-like beef stew made by a professor from India, who is living in the USA (well done, dear Sriram :)), and a delicious apple-cinnamon-strudel baked by Eileen (thank you again for your kindness).
I spent the next day in the city, walking around the downtown, the Pioneer Square, the Pike Place Market and the Seattle Center.
At half past noon I was waiting for Kwesi and Francis in the front of the Seattle Art Museum, at the “hammering” statute where I met many homeless people and I had very interesting discussions with some of them.
Maybe you are surprised why I talked to strangers, aren’t you? First – of course – they wanted money. After I gave one or two dollars, they usually wanted to hug me or shake hands but I refused their approaches and we began to talk… two of them had very interesting stories about their lives.
An old woman told me that she had a boy-friend from Turkey and she used to live in Europe for years. She was really amazing, she explained her experiences about Europeans, and I partly had to agree with her. We have (or had in the ’80-ties) more stereotypes and stronger prejudice (I am sorry, dear Reader in Europe, if you don’t have these thoughts, but maybe you are the exception … and that is why you are reading my blog!)
Later a homeless guy also tried to tell me about his life. His speaking was not as clear as the earlier woman’s, however I understood almost everything. He had been addicted to drugs for ten years, he lost his job and his family and everything he earned. He spent all his money to gain the daily ration. Although he stopped to that with the help of a charity, he never could return to his earlier life. His wife and children don’t keep in touch with him. I asked why he didn’t try to find a job and his answers became more ambiguous. He seemed to be angry about the American employers and politicians, but I couldn’t figure out, why exactly…
After twenty minutes I rushed alone to the harbor and participated in one of the amazing Argosy Cruises. I saw the amazing skyscrapers, the mountains around the lakes, the house of the “Sleepless in Seattle”, the vessels of the “Deadliest Catch” as well. Later I ate crabs soup on the waterfront, bought gifts for my family in a little store and went to the Seattle Center. I travelled with the Monorail to the Space Needle; I saw the sunset from the top of this futuristic building. and after that I rushed back to the hotel because I don’t like wandering alone in the street… I mean, after dark (there is a song about this, isn’t it?... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cG0qv9s0VNo&feature=related)
In the next morning, Kwesi and I took a great walk in the downtown again, while Francis stayed in the hotel. We figured out how we can go to the Amtrak Station.
Travelling by train through the States… I loved that. The train was very comfortable, I slept maybe one hour after counting (not sheep, but) coaches, wagons and trucks. Once we saw a train with more than 120 wagons pulled by five, large engines running across the US...
“O you youths, Western youths,
So impatient, full of action, full of manly pride and friendship,
Plain I see you, Western youths, see you tramping with the foremost,
Pioneers! O pioneers!” (W. Whitman)
In the late evening we arrived in Eugene and my only desire was to sleep.
To be continued with “Annie”
Agnes
and my photos:
http://cid-afa13623274e9e16.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/Mitnekemamerika
